Title: Pierced
Review: Pierced is the second book in the
fantastic Henning Juul mystery series (Burned being the first). Juul is a divorced and scarred investigative
journalist for an online Norwegian news magazine. He received his numerous disfiguring scars in
a fire that not only burned his apartment, but took the life of his young
son. Even though he has recovered enough
to work, his mind is still trapped in the burning apartment trying to figure
out what happened. The police have
written it off as a mistake, but in his heart he knows it wasn’t. The fire was deliberate.
Juul receives a phone call from prison; I can tell you what happened to
your son if you prove my innocence.
Famous gossip page denizen had been convicted under flimsy evidence and
wants out of prison. Was it petty
jealousies, or was it his past life as an infamous gang enforcer? A bargain is struck and Juul begins sticking
his nose where it definitely not wanted.
What I love about Thomas Enger’s book is it does what all great
procedural investigative novels do. It
turns over the evidence one clue at a time and slowly builds an intricate web
of relationships and events that lead you to a successful conclusion. A literary plinko game following the evidence
regardless where it leads you. It proves
that when it comes to actual humans and their foibles, Occam’s razor is a
garbage theory for explaining behavior. Nothing is ever simple or
straightforward.
Layered into the plot is a little more of the ongoing mystery of Juul that is revealed through several plot twists and revelations keeping the reader always off guard. I love reaching
the last pages of a mystery not quite sure who did it out of the suspects, but
also not feeling cheated when the true culprit has been revealed. Thomas Enger manages this like a master of
the genre.
Publisher: Expected publication: October 2nd
2012 by Atria Books (first published January 1st 2012)
Copyright: 2011
Pages: 438
ISBN: 978-1-4516-1648-4
Quick Review: 4 Stars out of 5.
Synopsis: The acclaimed author of
Burned is back with more heart-stopping suspense in a gritty and thrilling
sequel that pits Norwegian crime reporter Henning Juul against an international
crime ring.
Oslo’s top investigative crime reporter Henning Juul is
still haunted by the death of his son. Every time he looks in the mirror, he
sees the scars from the horrible fire that killed his six-year-old boy. So when
he receives a message from convicted murderer Tore Pulli, he can’t stop himself
from following up: “If you find out who set me up, I’ll tell you what happened
the day your son died.”
Pierced follows Henning Juul to Tore Pulli’s prison cell,
where the felon sends the reporter on a quest to find the real killer behind
his false conviction. Juul knows the murders pinned to Pulli don’t bear his
signature, but when Pulli is found dead of an apparent suicide, Juul begins to
realize there’s much more at stake. As he digs deeper, he strikes up a fragile
partnership with Iver Gundersen, a journalist now living with Juul’s ex-wife.
Together, the two men rush headlong into a gangland power struggle, delving
into an impenetrable world. Uncovering more questions than answers, Juul soon
comes to understand that he has to find not one, but several
killers—money-hungry men more dangerous than any he has encountered before—if
he ever wants to solve the mystery of his son’s death.
Author Biography: Thomas Enger was born in Oslo in 1973, but grew up in
Jessheim. He has an education in journalism, and has also studied sports and
history. He worked at the Norwegian online newspaper Nettavisen for nine years.
He has composed music and written books
since the age of 18. He is also working on a musical.
Enger's first book, Skinndød, was
published in 2010. It is the first book in a series of at least six featuring
crime journalist Henning Juul. The second installment, Fantomsmerte, was
released in the fall of 2011; Blodtåke, the third book, is scheduled for a 2012
release.
Other Reviews: Raven Crime Reads, Petrona, Publishers Weekly
Nice post thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeletePiercing Dalby